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How To Get Export Orders For Garments (As A Beginner)

You’re struggling. You’ve got a great range of garments & strong base of domestic customers. But, you want export orders. And, you’ve no idea how to get one. Here you’re. The right place. We’re going to talk about how to get export orders for garments business.

At the outset, RELAX. You aren’t the only clothing merchant one who is struggling to get those lucrative export orders. There’re many more like you.

Export orders are difficult to get. There is geographical gap involved. Over that, there’s trust deficit in the minds of the importers.

History has been a witness to various export-import frauds. Therefore, it’s natural for prospects to proceed with caution. Especially when they’re dealing with small exporters.

The strategies listed in this post are the ultimate solution. They’re tried & tested by me. And, the best part is that they work for small exporters.

So, learn the following ideas, implement them & secure your first export order.

HOW TO GET EXPORT ORDERS FOR GARMENTS BUSINESS

1. Go Online

This is the first & most important step towards acquiring your dream international customers.

On your eCommerce store, you need to upload your product images & descriptions. So, next when a buyer approaches you for a product catalogue, send him or her your website link. Makes sense?

Not just a product catalogue, but your website can also enable you to take online orders.

[Best practices bullet points]A few best practices you should follow while building your website:

Choose a professional theme instead of a FREE one (optional though)

Write complete descriptions of products (will help in conversions)

Add authentic & real images of your products

Keep your contact page updated

Add product videos for high-ticket items

Have a provision for free samples (if economically feasible)

Reveal as much business details as possible (like tax number, office address, customer reviews, factory address, certifications etc.). These will go a long way in creating trust in the mind of the buyers

On the advanced line, you can use your website in various other ways to generate traffic. Example: Blogging

Creating website isn’t the only way to go online. There’re following other ways you can generate buyer leads online:

YouTube (Upload product videos)

Buy Facebook ads

Buy Google Adwords

Directly buy leads from digital agencies

2. Join Export Communities

Export communities are organisations dedicated towards development of export business of their members.

There are various advantages of joining export communities like:

Getting to meet with other like-minded exporters

Knowing about the latest news & happenings in export industry

Learning about the industry best practices

Getting to know about various important events like trade fair, delegation visits etc.

But, how do you discover such export communities in your town or country?. Simple. Google it.

3. Respond To Order Inquiries On Online Forums

On such platforms you may find importers inquiring about garments. That’s where you need to step in & answer their questions with a link back to your website.

Look at the following example from Quora:

Remember, you shouldn’t spam these online forums or else you may get banned.

The primary objective should be to add value with super-helpful answers. Think of yourself as a forum member asking questions. Would you like to be haunted with self-promotions?. Or would you like to get genuine answers to your questions?. Exactly!

Go the aforesaid platforms & sign up. Follow a few garment related thread or groups. Then answer questions of your interest with as much details as possible.

Don’t self-promote above the fold. Place your website link only at relevant places (preferably at the end of the answer). And, do not over-promote your business.

Following are a few best practices that may follow:

Update your profile with picture, description & website link

Write shorter sentences. Avoid bulky paragraphs.

Don’t ridicule other members’ views

Avoid obvious answers or tips

Contribute answers regularly

If used effectively, online forums can generate a ton of leads for your garments business.

To join these marketplaces, you need to contact them using the form available on their respective websites. Most of them require a legal registered business with proper physical address.

Following are a few best practices you must follow on these marketplaces:

Update your profile with your office & factory pictures

Add a brief history of your company or business

Add a few customer or client reviews

Mention the name of your brands

Add product pictures & related descriptions

5. Attend International Garments Trade Fairs / Exhibitions

Trade fairs are offline B2B marketplaces that connect buyers with sellers. Generally, the sellers set up stalls showcasing their products. Buyers, on the other hand, visit these marketplaces to source or explore products.

Thus, trade fairs are an excellent way to meet targeted buyers.

International fairs aren’t easy to locate & attend. Therefore, the best way out is to join your local export community. They should keep you updated on the forthcoming fair events. Alternatively, you may browse https://www.tradefairdates.com that lists trade fair dates country & city-wise.

Following are a few popular international trade fairs:

Magic Las Vegas (USA)

Texworld Paris (France)

MICAM Milano (Italy)

International Apparel & Textile Fair (UAE)

Chandigarh Mega Expo (India)

To apply or register for these trade fairs, visit their respective websites & understand the procedure. If needed, call them up.

Following are a few best practices when attending international trade fairs:

Attractively display your product samples or merchandise

Keep visiting cards & catalogues ready

Ask for visiting cards of as many stall visitors as possible (follow them up later)

Offer attractive discounts for instant orders

Offer private label support for bulk orders

Show online presentation or tour of your facilities (like factory or warehouse)

Trade fairs or exhibitions, if done correctly, will give you a ton of leads or customers.

This is no doubt one of the highest converting strategies to get export orders. That’s because the trade fair visitors are pre-qualified & come with an intention to buy. They aren’t casual visitors.

6. Participate In Seminars & Conferences

When did you last attend a seminar?. I know the answer.

Well, you aren’t alone. Most entrepreneurs under-estimate the importance of networking.

Seminars can be effective in generating high quality leads in several ways.

Example: Imagine you’re attending a seminar on exports. Seated beside you is a shoe exporter. What if you network with him or her?. May be he or she can help you with a few client referrals?. (Since a shoe client may also be selling or interested in garments).

That’s the power of networking. You get strong & verified referrals with ease. And, not to forget, a few life-long friends.

Following are some ‘extra’ benefits you get attending seminars:

Technical know-how related to your industry

Meeting industry influencers

Certifications

Sponsorship oppotunities

Websites like 10times.com can help you find upcoming conferences country-wise.

It’s important to learn the art of connecting with other people during such events. You need to be tactful while approaching people. By tactful, I mean knowing exactly when to approach, what to talk at the beginning & how to engage with your talks.

A few best practices you can follow at such events:

Dress professionally

Be approachable

Shake hands firmly

Keep visiting cards & catalogues ready

If you aren’t taking seminars or conferences seriously then now is the time. Go try them out.

7. List On International Trade Directories

Trade directories are industry-wise listings published generally in paper format. Think of it as the ‘Yellow Pages’ of business.

There are following advantages of listing your business in these trade directories: